A Great Addition to Sunday Brunch

A sharp breeze nipped our cheeks as we strolled around Brooklyn and admired autumn foliage. When we happened upon a quaint bakery, our rumbling tummies signaled it was time for breakfast. The fragrance of freshly baked bread flowed over us and a tinkling bell announced our arrival as we slipped in the door.

When my eyes had adjusted to the dim interior I beheld trays of fruit-filled pastries, baskets brimming with bread of every size and shape, and strings of shiny bagels: pumpernickel, sesame, poppy seed and onion. As a Midwestern teenager who had never tasted a bagel, their chewy texture and unforgettable flavor blew me away. And I was thrilled when, years later, a small bagel store opened just around the corner from our home.

The bagel’s reputation for difficulty of preparation is undeserved, and this recipe makes the job even easier. Do most of the work in the evening and the following morning, after just fifteen minutes’ prep time, you can pop the bagels into a hot oven. This makes them a perfect candidate for Sunday brunch. The blueberry cream cheese can also be whipped up ahead of time.

The Origin of Bagels

The bagel was invented in 17th century Kraków, Poland where it was often given to women recovering from childbirth. Soon afterward, it became a main staple of Polish diet. Bagels have been sold in England since the mid 19th century. They were taken to the United States by immigrant Polish-Jews; Harry Lender and Florence Sender began commercial production and distribution of frozen bagels in the 1960s. Sesame seed bagels were launched into space with Canadian-born astronaut Gregory Chamitoff in 2008.

Tips:

For a healthier bagel, substitute whole wheat flour for half of the white flour.

High gluten flour makes the best bagels.

A stand mixer is invaluable if you don't have a bread maker, as it will knead the dough for you. A hand mixer will work in a pinch, but you will still have to knead the bread for at least a few minutes.

Don't worry if the dough creeps up the beater bars. This is due to the action of the yeast. Just clean off the bottom of the mixer afterward.

An overnight rise in the refrigerator or "proofing", as it's called among bakers, adds more flavor and texture to bread.

What About Bread Makers?

Although bread makers fell out of favor after the rise in popularity of low carbohydrate diets, they are highly recommended to any home cook who enjoys bread products. Just add ingredients to the pan and the machine does all the hard work.

Besides baking a perfect loaf of homemade bread, most models have a "dough" cycle that kneads ingredients and keeps dough warm during the first rise. This feature is very handy for making pizzas, bagels, pretzels and sweet breads such as cinnamon rolls. Most machines also have a special cycle for healthful, whole grain breads.

Two excellent bread makers are pictured in the column to the right. The Hamilton Beach costs around $60 and will turn out beautiful loaves of bread or bread dough. The Panasonic SD-YD250 is highly rated for durability and ease of use. My Panasonic has been dropped off the kitchen countertop and plugged into a 220V outlet, yet it still works like a charm after 5 years of weekly use.

A stand mixer is a great option for those who make bread dough on a regular basis. The KitchenAid comes with a dough hook which takes care of the kneading for you; allow the dough to rise right in the bowl before proceeding. Stand mixers are also indispensable for whipping egg whites and mixing batter. Optional attachments can be purchased for grinding meat, juicing citrus fruits and slicing and shredding. Attachments for making pasta and ice cream option are also available.

Overnight Egg Bagels

Rate Me!

4.8 stars from 23 ratings of Overnight Egg Bagels

"A bagel is a doughnut with the sin removed." -- George Rosenbaum

Ingredients

1 egg + enough lukewarm water to equal 2 cups

5 cups unbleached flour

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, not rapid rise

3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

For Bagel Boiling/Baking:

3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon baking soda

sesame and/or poppy seeds for sprinkling, optional

roll dough into a rope

form the bagels

ready for overnight rise

boil the bagels

Instructions

Combine 3 cups of flour, salt, brown sugar and yeast. Reserve the rest of the flour.

Add water/egg mixture and blend on high speed with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes. Or if using a stand mixer, insert the dough hook. Follow manufacturer's instructions for making bread dough then skip to step #5.

Add one more cup of flour and stir with a wooden spoon until flour is incorporated.

Place dough on floured surface and knead as explained above in the "tips" section, incorporating most or all of the remaining cup of flour during the kneading process.

When dough is smooth and elastic place in an oiled bowl, rubbing a little oil on the dough's top surface so it doesn't dry out. Cover bowl with a towel and set in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Comments

To comment on this article, you must sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Hi Kathryn Stratford, I'll have to check out Suzie's blueberry Hub right now. Thanks for following the link!

The red fruit in the photo is prickly pear, or "tuna" as they call it in Peru. It makes for a colorful plate of fruit! : )

I hope you can try these bagels sometime...the blueberry cream cheese makes them really special.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Kathryn

5 years agofrom Windsor, Connecticut

I don't know how I missed this one! Suzie had links to two of your recipes involving blueberries, so I decided to check it out right away!

I love making my own bread recipes, but have never tried to make bagels. It seems easy enough, and I look forward to trying it sometime.

Just out of curiosity: In the last photo, what are those red things above the kiwi?

Thanks for sharing this with us, and have a wonderful day!

~ Kathryn

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you, Charlu, for your kind comment and vote!

Charlu

6 years agofrom Florida

Great hub with incredible recipes and easy directions including pictures. Thanks for posting the link and voted all the good ups.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for the kudos, jaswinder64, and for your comment!

jaswinder64

6 years agofrom Toronto, Canada.

Congrats on hub of the day. Very informative article to learn about bagels with blureberry Cream Cheese.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thanks for dropping by, cattleboyz. So you specialize in BBQ? I'm from the Midwest originally so that's right down my alley. I just made ribs last week with homemade sauce and all...just haven't had a chance to write about it yet.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for coming by, Eiddwen, and I'm glad we met on HP! Enjoy the recipe.

I love your recipe. It sound delicious. Thanks for share with us step by step pictures about how to make this bagel and useful tips above. I can't wait to show this hub to my mom. Rated up and useful!

Prasetio

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

They really are easy and fun to make, too. Thank you for your comment, Jamie Brock!

Jamie Brock

6 years agofrom Texas

These bagels sound wonderful! I'm usually intimidated by homemade bread type recipes but this one looks to be fairly easy and thinking about that blueberry cream cheese is really making my mouth water! Thank you for sharing :)

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for taking the time to drop by, Lilleyth!

Suzanne Sheffield

6 years agofrom Mid-Atlantic

Goodness you come up with the most delicious recipes!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

I must admit, if we had a bagel store on the corner I would be hard-pressed not to buy them instead of make them! Still, the overnight rise makes them so much easier and they're deeelish! Thank you for dropping by, My Nurse Says.

My Nurse Says

6 years agofrom Philippines

Oh beautiful bagels... that definitely caught my attention (and my tummy's attention!) Terrific Hub... I am all the more enticed to either make my own batch or just be plain lazy and get to have a delicious bite of bagel and spread... oh with either tea or coffee. Oh the blissfully happy treat...

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Yes, HadyChahine, there's nothing like a fresh bagel. Thank you for coming by!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for dropping by, distance2010!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your comment, mary615. They really aren't hard to make and the warm bagels are so worth it. I hope you have a chance to try them!

Hady Chahine

6 years agofrom Manhattan Beach

Great hub! I'm so hungry for fresh bagels now!

distance2010

6 years ago

i want this so bad!!!!! someday someone will make it for me i hope

Mary Hyatt

6 years agofrom Florida

I never knew you put bagels in boiling water before! If I get really brave, I might try these. I love bages. Congrats on Hub of the Day. Thanks for sharing this. I vote this UP.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thanks so much, urmilashukla23, for your support!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thanks so much for your support, Peter Allison!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you so much for the meaningful comment and for your support, Happyboomernurse. I really appreciate your visit and am glad you "get" my method! : )

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your vote, J.S.Matthew, and for the kudos. Enjoy the recipe!

Urmila

6 years agofrom Rancho Cucamonga,CA, USA

What an amazing hub! I always wonder if bagel can be made at home without using machine. Now I know. Thanks for posting it. Useful and voted up!

Congratulations on Hub of the day award!

Peter Allison

6 years agofrom Alameda, CA

Wow this is awesome! (and from a writer I follow to boot!) I look forward to giving this a try - thanks!

Gail Sobotkin

6 years agofrom South Carolina

Congratulations on earning the Hub of the Day Accolade with this awesome hub!

I love the way you began it with a few personal memories that remind the reader that the smell of bagels baking adds to the experience of then getting to eat them.

The final photo shows that presentation can take a plain bagel and make it something truly special.

Voted up across the board except for funny.

JS Matthew

6 years agofrom Massachusetts, USA

Congrats on the Hub of the Day! I love bagels and cream cheese but I have never tried to make them myself. I am bookmarking this and I voted up (an stuff) and shared! Great Hub!

JSMatthew~

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for dropping by, Abihahyil Shawmar!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your comment, Indigital!

Abihahyil Shawmar

6 years ago

This looks YUM!!

Indigital

6 years ago

Brilliant recipe!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

It's nice to meet you on Hubpages, Felina Margetty. Thank you for dropping by and commenting!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your comment, getwellsoon. Enjoy the bagels!

Felina Margetty

6 years agofrom New York, New York

I can see that you are no slouch when it comes to the recipe's. I will have to visit your page more often. Thank you F.

getwellsoon

6 years agofrom US

I love bagels, now I have an excuse to make some good ones! Thanks for your hub!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for dropping by and for the kudos, anginwu!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

ComfortB, thank you for sharing your choices on the poll. That is one good thing about the bagel store...you can buy so many varieties to suit everyone's taste. Thanks for your vote!

anglnwu

6 years ago

I love bagelsl but always feel that it's just way beyond my league in terms of doing it. Now, with your clear instructions and pictures, it may be doable after all. Excellent hub and very well-written. Congratulations on HOTD.

Comfort Babatola

6 years agofrom Bonaire, GA, USA

I love bagel, and so does my family. I do think it takes so long to make them at home though, but I enjoy reading your hub through.

As for the poll on my favorite bagel, mine is plain. I love the plain ones. My husband love the cinnamon-raisin ones, and my daughter's just okay with the egg bagel, so I buy them all.

Thanks for sharing. Voted Up and Useful.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Another good question, win-winresources. I lived at 10,500 feet for almost 6 years and still had success with bagels. Reduce yeast to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Never use quick rise yeast at high altitude. You may have to add a few more teaspoons of water to the bagel dough as it tends to dry out. I wouldn't recommend an overnight rise of longer than 8 or 9 hours because yeasted dough rises faster at high altitude. You won't get the water to a rolling boil, so I would be sure to boil the bagels for at least one minute on each side. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Please let me know what you think of the bagels!

win-winresources

6 years agofrom Colorado

Vespa-

One more question. Any adjustment for high altitude (6000 ft)?

-DW

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your comment, Shesabutterfly, and I hope you enjoy the bagels!

Cholee Clay

6 years agofrom Wisconsin

Great hub! I loved the pictures and the directions were easy to understand. The blueberry cream cheese looks delicious! I'll definitely have to try this recipe. Voted up and useful.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you, DanaTeresa, for dropping by and for commenting. I hope you have a chance to try them...they're so delicious and rewarding to make!

2. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds after removing from boiling water, just before sliding into hot oven.

3. Uncovered pot of boiling water.

4. Can use light or brown sugar, although I prefer brown.

Thank you for your observations and I will make adjustments to the hub.

VespaWoolf

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for dropping by, Shanna11. These bagels are super simple and are so delicious warm from the oven!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for stopping by, SmartAndFun, and for your kind words!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your comment, Sadie14. I hope you enjoy the bagels!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you so much for your kind words, susanm23b, and I hope you enjoy the bagels. I agree...there's nothing like a bagel fresh from the oven!

Dana Strang

6 years agofrom Ohio

very interesting hub! i always wondered exactly how you make a bagel. they are so unique in flavor and texture. i love the level of detail you included about the whole process. great for those of us that don't have a lot of experience with dough based recipes. voted up and useful!

win-winresources

6 years agofrom Colorado

Hi Vespa-

I have lots of experience with buying and eating bagels, but none making them. A bit more help please:

1) "Hot" oven means 400-450 F to me. What does it mean to you?

2) When would sesame or poppy seeds be added? Just before baking on midway through baking?

3)Covered pot during boiling or uncovered?

4) Light or dark brown sugar?

Thanks again.

-DW

Shanna

6 years agofrom Utah

Oh my goodness, these look amazing and SO simple! Awesome Hub!

SmartAndFun

6 years agofrom Texas

Congrats on getting hub of the day - a very nice feather in your cap! A terrific hub and those bagels look delicious!

Brittany B

6 years agofrom U.S.

Yummm! Great hub! I can't wait to try these out. The blueberry cream cheese looks delicious too. Thank you for these great instructions!

susanm23b

6 years ago

Yummy! Your recipe looks delicious. I have made bagels a few times, but it has been a while. I have never used the overnight method--this would make them do-able for breakfast or brunch. A warm, soft and chewy bagel fresh from the oven sounds great! The blueberry cream cheese looks wonderful as well.

Congrats on Hub of the Day! Well deserved for a great article! Voted up :)

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your kind words, DonnaCosmato, and I'm glad you dropped by!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Turtlewoman, it's so nice to hear from you. Thank you for the kudos and I'll add an everything bagel to my poll. : )

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your comment, kelleyward. I hope you and your boys enjoy them!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you, RTalloni, and please come back by if you have a chance to try them. : )

Donna Cosmato

6 years agofrom USA

I've always wondered what "proofing" the dough meant so I'm glad you explained that! I loved the photos and the easy directions; it's easy to see why this excellent hub won the Hub of the Day award. Congratulations and voted up.

Kim Lam

6 years agofrom California

Wow wow wow this looks good Vespa! I've never made my own bagel before! You didn't list my favorite bagel---topped with everything cheese!!:-) And the cream cheese with blueberry jam??Genius! Congrats on winning Hub of the Day!

kelleyward

6 years ago

Great hub! Congrats on hub of the day! I'll have to try to make this for my boys!

RTalloni

6 years agofrom the short journey

How fabulous these look. I hope to try making these soon.

Congrats on your well-deserved Hub of the Day Award!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for your feedback, internetgeek, and for your vote!

Nizam Khan

6 years agofrom Hyderabad, India.

This is such an amazing Hub with awesome pic. Thanks and voted up :)

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

I'm especially fond of this recipe because of the easy prep in the morning. Of course, the blueberry cream cheese doesn't hurt, either! Thanks for dropping by and commenting, leahlefler.

Leah Lefler

6 years agofrom Western New York

Oh my goodness - I have to try this one! I love bagels, particularly with fruit-flavored cream cheese. Yum!!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

I hope you have the chance to try them, randomcreative. They're not hard to make and so worth the effort!

Rose Clearfield

6 years agofrom Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great recipe and tips! I have never made homemade bagels but would love to give it a try sometime.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Since bagels aren't known in Peru, I learned to make my own out of necessity. This is my favorite recipe because there's very little prep time in the morning (when I least feel like cooking). Thank you for dropping by, alocsin!

Aurelio Locsin

6 years agofrom Orange County, CA

Never even thought it was possible to make your own bagels, so thanks for showing how. Voting this Up and Useful.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you for commenting, jenubouka. It's always nice to hear from you. I so agree...these bagels are more complex with the overnight rise. Please let me know how it goes!

jenubouka

6 years ago

so awesome vespa! I have tried many bagel recipes to find the "perfect" ratio to a chewy and flavorful one. This recipe proves to be of that! I love the overnight process, I think the longer a yeast dough sits the more complex the flavors. Soooo trying this recipe.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

6 years agofrom Peru, South America

Thank you, KoffeeKlatch Gals, for dropping by and for your comment. I hope you have a chance to try the recipe!

Susan Hazelton

6 years agofrom Sunny Florida

What a terrific hub. Your recipe is great and your step by step instructions are clear and easy to follow. Up and awesome.

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

This is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)

Google AdSense Host API

This service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

This is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Facebook Login

You can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Maven

This supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)

We may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.

Conversion Tracking Pixels

We may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.

Statistics

Author Google Analytics

This is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)

Comscore

ComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)

Amazon Tracking Pixel

Some articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)